THE NEW EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3100, 4 June 1881, Page 4

THE NEW EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.

All eyes arc now turned on the man in whoso hands tho destinies of Russia are placed. The late Czar brought up his children with far more indulgence than was ever shown to himself and Alexander Alexandrovitz, his eldest surviving son, received a separate establishment and a very handsome income when he married the second of the three beautiful daughters of the King of Denmark in 186«. The Palace stands close to a bridge of the same name in the Perspective Ncwsky, a lively part of the city, and about a mile and a-hatf from the Winter Palace, though the wide spaces and immense length of the public buildings which lie between them make the distance appear much less. It looks far better for the enjoyments of family life than the huge erection inhabited by the Kmperor, and all reports speak highly of the domestic virtues and private happiness of the new Czar and his wife and of their unaffected kindness to the poor. The man who is now known as Alexander 111 is hardly so tall as his father when in his best days, but he must still be nearly, if not quite, six feet in height, and is remarkably deep-chested and broad-shoul-dered, with all appearance of great strength. Hiß light-gray eyes resemble those of his mother's relations at Hesse-Darmstadt more than bis father, who had the dark blue eyes (such as the French call blue-black) which are seen in the pictures of Alexander I, Paul. Peter the Great, and several other members of the House of Roumanoff. In figure and general style he is also like his uncle, the late Grand Duke of Hesse-Darm-stadt. A small mouth, wit., extremely good teeth, which he only shows when he laughs, ia his best feature ; his hair is auburn, and his complexion very fair. In St. Petersburg he usually appears most correctly attired in uniform ; but when enjoying a holiday among his wife's relations he may be seen

ir. a very loose washed suit of shepherd's plaid, a black tie, a white hat, and with neither gloves, ring, nor wnteb. That lio has been no carpet soldier is evident from the marks of frost-bites on the third and fourth finger of his left hand and a slight scar on the temple, where a bullet grazed his head in one of the battles in the Turkish war. He is very popular in Copenhagen, where he and the Princess Dagmar, us "she is still fondly called by the Danes, walk about town together in the most unceremonious manner, and are always ready to take their part in any popular entertainment during the long visits which they periodically pay at her father's Court. It also speaks well for him that he is supposed to require no extra amusement there, but to be perfectly happy, leading a simple life witli his wife and children, roaming about in the park and spending quiet evenings in the Castle. In the summer of 1876 the whole Danish Royal family, including the King and Queen of Greece, were entertainel for six weeks at his palaces in St. Petersburg and Ozarco Selo. The Prince's study in the Anitchkov Palace is a small room fitted up with maps and globes and well-filled bookcases, in which historical works in all languages predominate. That he is a reader is shown by the pile of newspapers which he collects at the different stations when on a journey to peruse on the road, and he has taken personal interest in the publication of the State Correspondence in Russia. Some years ago he wrote himself to the heirs of La Harpe, who was tutor to the Emperor Alexander 1., to ask for the loan of any letters from his great uncle to La Harpe which might happen to be still in their hands. Whether justly or not, the new Czar had the credit of being a very obstinate, capricious, bad-tempered boy, and it was undoubtedly a great shock to his future subjects when the unexpected death of his elder brother placed him next to the throne. They had always been playfellows and greatly attached to each other, and when but ten and eleven years old were brought to the deathbed of the Emperor Nicholas, in 1855, to receive their grandfather's blessing and a few words of advice. As might be expected at their age and on such an occasion, they both shed many tears. That the present Czar married the Princess Dagmar (who on her rebaptism into the Eastern Church received the names of Mary Fedorovna) at the special request of the dying youth to whom she was betrothed, is wpII known; and though the request seemed hardly natural, the elder brother probably remembered, that she was not without ambition, and had thought much of the position which she would some day occupy, and which, in his unselfish love, he strove to secure for her in the only possible way. The Czarevna has four beautiful children—the eldest Nicholas, a fine boy of twelve ; the second, George, about nine, who bears a striking resemblance to the early pictures of Alexander 11. ; and two much younger ones, Xenia and Michael. She has accompanied her husband to all parts of European Russia, and has gained the effections of the people, particularly of the Poles. In the winter at the Anitchkow Palace- she has an annual Christmas tree ; but it is not invariably the children of the nobles who are invited, hut a number from the most squalid homes in St. Petersburg, recommended by some of the members of the Society for the Relief of Distress ; and these are always sent away with a good stock of warm clothing, as well as the customary presents. Such very contradictory stories are told of the Prince's attitude with regard to politics that onehalf at least of them must be invented ; and as a man of thirty-five seldom holds the same views that he did at twenty-five, the probability is that his ideas have changed considerably during the last ten years. His manner is abrupt and wants cordiality ; he is a careless though not a great talker ; and as a younger man was known to give way to very unbecoming displays of temper. He has great powers of endurance, and can tire out most ordinary people ; but field sports and amusement are only secondary objects with him. He is a diligent attendant at the meetings of the Imperial conncils, where he has long had a place. Alexander 11. has been a good deal troubled at different times with the vagaries of his sons and nephews, particularly with the young princes of Leuchtenberg j but whether wisely or not, he has yielded on several occasions to the pressure of his heir, as in the case of M. Valouieff, who was dismissed in 1869 from his post of Minister of the Interior, or obliged to resign, having incurred the ill-will of the Czarewitch, who at that date was undoubtedly an upholder of the old autocracy, as opposed to the more liberal views of his father and of M. Valouieff.

That Alexander 111 has given indication of a strong desire to cultivate friendly relations with Great Britain has been fully confirmed by advices received. The new Emperor has taken an opportunity in conversation with unofficial and official representatives of this country of expressing his deep sence of the sympathy felt in England for the sufferings of the Imperial family of Russia, and his eai-nest hope that the two countries may henceforth Jive in amity. Practical proofs of the sincerity of the Czar's policy will shortly be forthcoming. The Prince of Wale's was specially charged by the Queen before leaving England for St. Petersburg with messages of a more than conventionally courteous character. —Homo News.